p2pnet - rss feed: Hollywood Howard: on the move?
p2pnet news | Politics:- Hollywood Howard Berman’s inestimable value to the entertainment cartels may soon be diminished.
Or will it?
"A change in the California delegation will have an impact on the copyright industry’s agenda on Capitol Hill as Rep. Howard Berman will likely relinquish his role as head of the House copyright subcommittee," says the Hollywood Reporter.
Tom Lantos’ impending retirement, "opens up the chairmanship of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to Berman," says the story, going on, "but moving will mean that he has to give up the House Judiciary Committee’s intellectual property subcommittee. Lantos retired after he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.
Berman aides said they wanted to avoid hurting Lantos’ feelings, "but admitted that Berman would like the job".
When Lantos leaves, Hollywood Howard, "plans to assume the chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs Committee with the support of the committee and other members of Congress," the story has a senior Democratic aide stating.
"The subcommittee is the gateway for copyright law changes and Berman has been sympathetic to the copyright industry’s plight, whether it’s illegal downloading or the push to win a performance royalty for radio," the Hollywood Reporter says, considerably understating the situation.
Next in line is Rick Boucher, "one of the copyright industry’s biggest foes, taking the side of consumer electronics makers and other traditional detractors," it observes, adding:
Entertainment industry lobbyists, "concede that a subcommittee run by Boucher would have a reordered set of priorities, but they point out that the full committee is still run by Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., one of the industry’s biggest allies."
As long as Conyers is still there, "I don’t see much different coming out of the committee," said one lobbyist.
"It could be more difficult, but we have a compelling story."
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